SEPTEMBER 2, 1990 | CLEVELAND, OHIO • Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Dave Stieb had not allowed a hit for 8 and 2/3 innings when Indians 2nd baseman Julio Franco came to bat. With a 2-2 count, Franco got a base hit to centerfield. Stieb retired the next batter for a 1-0, one-hit shutout. On September 30, Steib’s very next start at home in Toronto, he had not allowed the Baltimore Orioles a hit going into the 9th. He induced two groundouts, bringing pinch hitter Jim Traber to the plate. Again, on a 2-2 count, Traber got a base hit. The next batter grounded out and Dave Stieb had his second consecutive one-hitter after not allowing a hit for 8 and 2/3rds innings.
He came amazingly close to tying Johnny Vander Meer’s streak of two consecutive no-hitters, but still had none. The following spring, April 10, 1989, in New York, Dave Stieb threw his third one-hitter in two seasons. It wasn’t quite as dramatic this time as Stieb gave up the one hit in the 5th inning when Yankee catcher Jamie Quirk singled.
Dave Stieb finally got that no-no on this date in 1990. Again, he made it interesting in the 9th. He got the first two batters out before walking the third. The last out came on a line drive out to right field. Stieb’s day was no runs, no hits, four walks and nine strike outs.
Considering Steib’s September 24th and 30th starts of 1988 were the last two of the season and April 10, 1989 was his second start of the next season, for three of four starts he threw one-hitters. The other start, April 5, 1989 he gave up 4 hits in a 2-1 loss in which he was not the pitcher of record. Has there ever been a more dominating stretch by a pitcher in major league history?
CONTRIBUTING SOURCES:
September 24, 1988 box score & play-by-play
September 30, 1988 box score & play-by-play
April 5, 1989 box score & play-by-play
April 10, 1989 box score & play-by-play